Meditations 67.02

By Northwestern Publishing House

Looking for Scripture verses for guidance in your daily walk with Jesus?Meditations: Daily Devotional is an inspiring, personal devotional booklet offering you daily Scripture-based, soul-searching studies of God' s Word. Meditations will provide you with the scriptural guidance and encouragement you need for your daily walk with Jesus!Works great for personal or family devotions every day!Meditations is released quarterly each year. This booklet is Volume 67, Number 2, and contains devotions originally written for March 3, 2023 June 1, 2024.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Northwestern Publishing House
• Release date: Feb 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9780810033085

Book preview

Lent 3, Sun., Mar. 3, 2024 THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate. (1 Corinthians 1:18,19 NIV)

SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

Have you ever heard of Huy Fong’s sriracha sauce? Krispy Kreme donuts? Costco? What’s interesting is that you won’t see many advertisements for them. No commercials or ads. Why not? The owners of these companies feel like they don’t need to advertise because the product speaks for itself. Sriracha sauce is so good someone will tell you about it. Krispy Kreme has likely made an impression on you because you tasted one donut once and you know it’s so good, maybe even too good. Costco’s deals have the customers endlessly bragging about how much they saved on groceries and gas. The product speaks for itself. The same is true for the gospel Paul preached.

Verse 18 begins with the word for. For what? There is a very enriching point that Paul makes about this little word. As Paul writes to the Corinthian believers, he starts by thanking God for their faith through God’s grace. He marvels at that faith and thanks God for the part that he plays, writing, For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power (1 Corinthians 1:17). And then he writes in verse 18, For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. The for that he writes in verse 18 is talking about how God’s Word works. It’s not in the most effective speech or performed by the world’s best speaker that people come to believe. It is the power of God. The product has power itself. Neither Paul’s preaching nor his persuasive conversations could ever have convinced a single person to believe. God’s powerful Word does it all. And that’s not a depressing thought; it’s a reassuring one.

As we share God’s Word with people around us, friends and family members, neighbors and acquaintances, we can confidently know that it is not all on us. It is God’s power that will cause people to believe, not how perfectly we speak or how well-crafted our arguments are. We take the opportunities we have to naturally share God’s Word in our lives according to our ability and trust that the Holy Spirit is powerfully working in the Word.

God, help me rest in the power of your Word. Amen.

Bible reading: Leviticus 14:33–16:34

Mon., Mar. 4, 2024

It is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate. Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. (1 Corinthians 1:19-21 NIV)

OUR ONLY LASTING HOPE

It seems like every week new and promising breakthroughs in the field of science, medicine, or technology boast about the future. Scientists discover a new planet, perhaps habitable for humans; doctors develop medicines that cure all types of cancer or even reverse aging; and futurists dream up technology that can give you new limbs, keep your memories safe, maybe even upload your consciousness to the cloud, allowing you to live forever. But inevitably it is revealed that the breakthrough was in a very limited case or still has many years of development left. With all the advancements we’ve lived through, it is easy to get wrapped up in this exciting news and believe that as each year passes, science, medicine, and technology will solve each one of life’s problems.

But whether experience tells you or God’s Word in 1 Corinthians reminds you, the wisdom of humankind isn’t going to be the permanent answer to solving your problems or living forever. It only leads to frustration. The answer isn’t found in science, medicine, or technology; they never solve the problem of sin or death. God has placed the answer in his Word.

Only in God’s Word do you hear the message that saves. Only in the powerful news of the gospel do you have the solution to your life’s problems, the restoration for broken relationships, forgiveness to live without guilt, and hope for the future. Only the message of what Jesus did for you on the cross gives you true eternal life. God was pleased to bring you the message to save you. Trust in the foolish message of the gospel and not in the wisdom of humankind for your life, and God will never fail you. That is truly wise.

Lord God, thank you for the many gifts you give in science, medicine, and technology. But when I am tempted to think they have the final answers for my pains, my fears, and my hopes, remind me that only in the message of the cross of Christ can I find lasting peace, true love, and hope for eternal life. Amen.

Bible reading: Leviticus 17–19

Tues., Mar. 5, 2024

Since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:21-24 NIV)

THE STUMBLING BLOCK

Nothing Jesus did seemed to fit with the image the Jewish leaders had of their promised Messiah. He was born in lowly circumstances, a stable in a small town. He grew up in a backwater town, Nazareth. He spoke of a kingdom but never showed force to take it. And finally he was arrested, was tried, and died the death of a criminal. What kind of hero was that to look up to? What kind of messiah was that? How would that restore the kingdom of Israel to its former glory? It wouldn’t. But Jesus wasn’t that kind of Messiah. And so Paul rightly calls the gospel of Jesus a stumbling block for the Jews. It was for them back then and can still be one today.

The unexpected message of the gospel does not fit with many people’s expectations of what religion should do for them. People want a powerful God who gets things done when they ask, who brings them success, who guarantees a comfortable life because they can show how much they’ve done for God and know he’ll reward them for it. And when things don’t go that way for them, it can become a frustrating stumbling block.

Have God and the gospel ever been a stumbling block for you? Our first impluse is to say Never! But have you ever felt like God should treat you better, answer your prayers more clearly, show himself more in your life? Why should you be sick when you could be working for him? Why struggle with this problem when you’ve consistently worshiped him?

With that kind of mind-set, the gospel is a stumbling block. But God was pleased to be your Savior in a different way. Not with earthly power or force, nor with any solution that wouldn’t last. He isn’t the Savior for only a good life on earth. Every other religion ends in despair, and even the richest, most comfortable lives come to end. But God brought a permanent, perfect kingdom through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Through faith in this different kind of Savior, you have eternal life with God.

Lord, your gospel is the highest wisdom and the only power to save. Amen.

Bible reading: Leviticus 20–22

Wed., Mar. 6, 2024

Since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinithians 1:21-24 NIV)

THE SIMPLE GOSPEL

How many self-help books have you read? You may also know them as personal development books. They all start the same way. A problem or frustration in your life is causing you stress, wasting your time, and making your life needlessly complicated. And then comes the answer. Each author has a piece of secret wisdom to share with you. And once you know it, it will change your life. But for some reason or another, once you are given the answer, you don’t want to follow it. The secret wisdom to losing weight: your diet. The secret wisdom of developing relationships: spending time with people. The secret wisdom for learning a language: practicing it a lot. Oftentimes we want the answer to be something more complicated, new, and not simple.

The Greeks wanted the same thing when they heard Paul’s gospel preaching. But they thought, Where are the secrets? What is this super helpful knowledge? Is this it? That God sent his Son to live as a human in my place, pay for my sins, and guarantee my victory over death by his own resurrection from the dead—and all as a free gift? This is too simple, foolish, unbelievable.

Many today also don’t see God’s Word as anything special. When sharing the gospel with family, friends, or others, the responses we often get back are blank looks, awkward silences, or open rejections. The gospel isn’t life-changing wisdom according to their standards.

But it was life-changing back then, and it still is today. The simple message of sins freely forgiven through Jesus is straightforward but true. It doesn’t take a philosopher to reason out or a scholar to uncover; it is simple enough for a child to understand. God loves you. He sent his Son Jesus to die for you to pay for all your sins. God forgives you. He gives you the sure hope of eternal life through believing in Jesus. It’s simple. And that’s a blessing because this simple message is for all people.

Heavenly Father, the gospel isn’t a secret knowledge. Help me hold on to your simple gospel and spread the news of Christ crucified to others. Amen.

Bible reading: Leviticus 23:1–25:22

Thurs., Mar. 7, 2024

We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:23,24 NIV)

THE LINCHPIN

Do you know anyone who could be described as a linchpin? As in someone whose position is absolutely critical to a team, company, etc.? For sports it may be a star quarterback in football or a heavy hitter on a baseball team. It may be that one employee who knows everything about the business or is the best at gaining new clients. Maybe you could be described as a linchpin. The word linchpin comes from the pin that is placed in an axel to keep the wheel on a wagon or a cart. If it’s gone, then the whole wagon falls apart and is useless. In the gospel, God made Jesus the linchpin. In 1 Corinthians 1:24, Paul calls Jesus the power and the wisdom of God.

Jesus is the power of God. The Bible is filled with the mighty acts of God’s power. His miracles of food and healing, the plagues in Egypt, his help in battles, and even his mighty acts of creating the universe, but in Christ on the cross we find the greatest power—Jesus overcoming sin and death for us and bringing forgiveness and eternal life for all who believe in him.

And he is the wisdom of God. A beautiful and interesting theme in the Bible is the unexpected way God does things. When God promised a son to Abraham, the man waited until he was 100 years old. When Israel was again looking for a king, God chose the young shepherd boy David. When God sent his Son into the world, Jesus